Divination Dreams
by AspergianStoryteller
Summary: The future isn't the only thing glimpsed in the Art of Divination. Mysteries of the subconscious, foreboding signs and what-the-heck visions too.
1. Crystal Ball Malfunction

Title: Divination Dreams.

Author: AspergianStoryteller.

Genre: Humor.

Summary: The future isn't the only thing glimpsed in the Art of Divination. Don't own Harry Potter or the HP Puppet Pals. Obviously the whole song is not here because that's against website rules, and with that program cracking down on us, it's better to be safe than sorry. Go to You Tube to hear the whole, hilarious song with visuals.

Chapter 1: Crystal Ball Malfunction.

Tick tick tick...

_'Hm. What's that strange ticking sound?' A puppet made to look like Professor Snape popped up. (Although the real one certainly did not have such a uni brow). _

Tick tick tick...

_'It's kind of catchy.' _

Tick tick tick...

_'Snape, Snape, Severus Snape. Snape, Snape, Severus Snape.' _

_'Dumbledore!' There was a puppet that resembled the Headmaster! This one looked more realistic. _

_'Snape, Snape, Severus Snape.' _Tick tick tick...

_'Dumbledore!' _

_'Ron, Ron, Ron Weasley!' Now a Ron-puppet. It looked rather, happy, judging by it's wide smile. _

Tick tick tick...

_'Hermione. Hermione.' Her puppet also wore a happy expression. _

Tick tick tick...

_'Harry Potter, Harry Potter.' What was it with smiley puppets? _

Tick tick tick...

_'Sing a song, all day long at Hogwarts!' _

Tick tick tick...

_'I've found the source of the mysterious ticking! It's a pipe bomb!' The puppet!Ron held up a bundle of dynamite sticks secured to a clock. _

_'Yay!' _

_Boom! _

_Merlin's beard, was that...? _

_'Voldemort, Voldemort, oh Voldy Voldy Voldy Voldemort! Mwa ha ha ha!' _

XXX xxx XXX

'What?' Sybill Trelawney tapped her crystal ball hesitantly. What a bizarre thing to see. She had only meant to divine whether her favourite pudding would be served at the Christmas Feast that night, but the orb had done that and more, showing her this strange vision of students and fellow teachers as puppets doing a weird song and dance. How mysteriously the Sight worked. Then again...

Trelawney cast a suspicious glance at her empty sherry bottle next to the crystal ball. 'Perhaps I ought to be a little lighter on the spirits. Minerva may have a point, hopelessly mundane as she is.'

XXX xxx XXX

What do you think? Updates will be random. Whenever an idea pops into my head. Thanks for reading!


	2. Fears

Title: Divination Dreams.

Author: AspergianStoryteller.

Genre: Humor.

Summary: The future isn't the only thing glimpsed in the Art of Divination. Don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter 2: Fears.

Sh... Pitter pitter...

_Harry hummed to himself as he rubbed frankincense scented shampoo (lent to him by Ron) into his hair. He and the other Gryffindor boys in his year were using the showers gratefully on this cold Winter morning. (They had learnt the hard way not to spent too long under the wonderfully hot water. To prevent students from being late to class because they "lost track of time in there", the showers were spelled to turn frightfully cold after fifteen minutes). _

_Dean was loudly singing what sounded like _Bohemian Rhapsody_, though it was hard to make it all out because Seamus was belting equally loudly a song by the Weird Sisters. Harry thought the two songs went together quite well, actually. _

_He reached over the cubical wall to give Ron back his shampoo. _

_'Thanks mate. I wish Mum wouldn't send orange or maroon all the time though.' _

Knock knock.

_'Are my shoes in there Harry?' _

_'Yeah. Why'd you leave them in here?' _

_Neville grinned sheepishly on the side of the shower door. 'I thought I'd practise my dancing in there. Myrtle's been helping me.' _

_Harry took the black ballet shoes off the shelf and moved carefully over to the door to pass them out. _

_No sooner had he touched the handle when the door flew open with a bang. To his horror, there were several Death Eaters crowded around the boys' bathroom. _

_Bellatrix Lestrange grabbed his arm and yanked him out of the shower. She was the only who seemed to notice that he was naked, giggling like a teenager, only it was far more frightening coming from her. _

_'It's time to meet your end, Potter,' hissed Lucious Malfoy. _

_Why had no one else noticed what was going on? Seamus and Dean were still singing as though nothing had happened. Where was Neville? Where was his wand? Why did two or three of the Death Eaters look like they were dancing in tune to the songs? _

_Oh my god, Harry thought in terror and embarrassment. I'm naked and there are Death Eaters in the bathroom! _

_'Harry Potter...' _

_Oh no. _

_Voldemort stepped into the bathroom with his wand pointed at Harry. 'Dumbledore is foolish to believe such a small boy can ever hope to defeat me, no matter how much luck you have.' _

_Oh my god, I'm going to die! Thought Harry. _

_'Give me the soap, or Bella shall take you to the Ball, as you are.' _

_'Never!' _

_'Your bravery will do you no good here, Harry.' The Dark Lord flicked his wand and blasted out green light. 'Avada Ked-' _

XXX xxx XXX

_Gasp!_ Harry jerked awake.

'Harry? Are you okay?'

Harry turned to Ron sitting in the armchair next to him.

'Bad dream?'

_Cough._ 'Creepy dream.'

'It'll be that bloody incense. Crack open a window.'

After quietly wafting the dizzying fumes outside, Ron convinced Harry to tell him what the dream was about.

'I don't think you need a dream interpreter to know what that means,' he snorted. 'Everyone dreams about that sometimes.'

'Who dreams of being attacked by Voldemort in the shower?'

'Well, everyone has a nightmare about being naked at some point, and you've nightmares about You-Know-Who before, so maybe they just got put together.'

'...That actually makes sense.'

Ron shrugged. '...Wanna put it in your dream diary?'

'No way! I don't want to hear Trelawney making a death prediction out of that in front of everyone.'

'Are you sure?' Ron sniggered. 'I'd love to see the looks on their faces.'

'I'd rather not. Can you imagine how Parvati and Lavender would react? Ever since Lavender went on holiday to Japan, she's been getting these ridiculous ideas about boys. Last week she and Parvati shoved me into a broom cupboard with Malfoy.'

'That was funny.'

'Yeah just you wait until they lock you in with someone. No doubt they'd put some crazy spin on this and next week everyone will think I'm involved in a Dark, forbidden love.'

'Oh, right. Hey did you see it when they locked Fred and George in a cupboard together? They just played along and made it sound really suggestive.'

_... 'Oh you naughty, naughty boy! Take your hands away from there at once!' _

_'I don't think so, gorgeous. Your tush is very comfortable.' _

_'Oh my goodness!' Parvati whispered. 'They're doing it!' _

_'I wish we could see in there!' Lavender giggled. 'Oo, it's twincest! How forbidden!' _

Thump!_ 'Oh George!' _

_A sizeable crowd was gathered around the broom cupboard now. Most of the boys (including Professor Flitwick) were either grimacing or laughing their asses off. Most of the girls were giggling and blushing. _

_Finally Professor McGonagall, stern despite her pink cheeks, got the doors open and ordered the laughing Weasley twins out and towards her office. _

_'It's all very well to pretend for older students but there are First Years out there!...' _

'That _was_ funny. But it's besides the point.'

'Fine then. How about, "you fought the forces of evil in a loud, wet place?" That doesn't sound too dodgy.'

'Sounds good.'

XXX xxx XXX

What do you think? Updates will be random. Whenever an idea pops into my head. Actually, why don't you readers suggest some ideas? I'll give you acknowledgement for them. Thanks for reading!


	3. Prank Calling?

Title: Divination Dreams.

Author: AspergianStoryteller.

Genre: Humor/General.

Summary: The future isn't the only thing glimpsed in the Art of Divination. Don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter 3: Prank Calling.

_'Oi Harry,' _

_'Phone for you!' _

_'Pass it along now!' _

_Fred and George sent the rickety old Hogwarts phone down the Grythindor breakfast table, the cord stretching along in between plates and bowls until it reached Harry. _

_Who could phoning me? _He thought._ No way it's the Dursleys... _

_'Hello?' _

_Good morning Harry... _

_'Huh? Who is this?' _

_Don't you remember the sound of my voice, Harry? Not even from your nightmares? _

_'... Oh, shit.' _

Chuckle._ Ah, you do remember me. I'm so pleased. _

_'What the hell do you want Riddle?' _

_Don't call me that, Harry. I just want to have a nice conversation with you over breakfast. Let's start with "what are you eating?" Is it nice? _

_'Why are you phoning me in the middle of breakfast? While we're at war! Is someone playing a joke on me?' Harry looked around suspiciously. _

_No joke. Sorry Harry, it really is me. Who else would know how you bowed to me, not particularly gracefully on the night of my rebirth? Who else would remember the feel of your skin when I touched your face, remember how you _screamed?

_'...' Harry shuddered. _

_So, back to our conversation. What are you having for breakfast? _

_'Why, why do you want to know what I'm eating? Have you poisoned something?' _

_If only. I have not poisoned your food, boy. I have no access to it. What's so wrong with speaking to me about food? I'm simply curious. _

_'Okay. Um,' This is so weird. It's unreal. 'Toast and pumpkin juice. Er, what are you having?' _

_Pancakes and bacon. One of my favourite dishes from Hogwarts. _

_'That's, um, nice.' Everything else in the Great Hall was so normal. Students chatting loudly, teachers watching over them, everyone eating. It made Harry feel very odd to be having a conversation with the Dark Lord over the phone. _

_'Whose on the fellytone, Harry?' Ron asked. _

_'You'd never believe it,' Harry muttered. _

_Coffee seems so mundane, but I must applaud the Muggles this rare time. It gives one such a burst of energy that potions cannot quite manage to duplicate. Perhaps it is in the bitter taste? _

_'I guess. Coffee's alright.' _

_I have a strong black most mornings, and a more flavourful cup in the afternoon when there's time. How do you like your coffee, Harry? _

_'With a bit of sugar.' What was Voldemort trying to pull? Could he be working Dark magic through the phone right now, while distracting him with talk of food and drink?_

_'Alright Riddle, cut the charm. What do you really want?' _

_'Is it a girl?' _

_'It's rude to interrupt when someone's on the phone Ron.' _

_Don't speak to me so rudely Harry. Didn't those filthy Muggles teach you any manners? _Crucio.

_'Argh!' Hot, piercing pain shot out of the phone into Harry's body. He tried to drop it, but it was fused to hand as though Permanently Sticking Charmed there. _

_'Harry!' _

_'What's wrong?' _

_Perhaps your lack of manners is not entirely your fault, but nonetheless, you will learn to respect your betters. I have contacted you for two reasons. One is to negotiate with you. _

_'What?' Harry got his breath back. _

_'Harry, what happened? Are you okay?' _

_'I'm fine.' _

_You are weaker, but hopefully, more open minded than that old fool, Dumbledore. _

_'Don't call him a fool,' Harry snapped. He glanced up at the teacher's raised table. None of them had heard him scream, apparently. The noise of students eating and talking surrounded him like water. _

_I will ignore that for now Harry. Think carefully about your situation and place in this "war". What is it that you want? Is this, battle of politics really something you want to be involved in so deeply? This is a matter for adults. Of course you are not quite a child, I can almost see you scowling at me, but you should be focusing on school. Why should the wizarding world place their hopes on a teenager? You are so young, and yet, so many difficult things have happened to you. So much pressure. _

_Harry did not know what to say to that. How did Voldemort know what thoughts haunted him in his sleeping and waking hours? _

_You are powerful yes, but still young. They are better off sending adults up against someone of my age and power. It is not cowardly or unjustified for you to be afraid and uncertain. It is natural. I am much more experienced than you. _

_That was true. Harry did wonder how he was to defeat a powerful Dark wizard who must be over seventy. But still, there wasn't a choice, was there? Voldemort was his responsibility. The murderer of his parents. Harry had survived him, and several other terribly dangerous things and come out alive. _

_'Are you sure you're okay Harry? You look a bit,' _

_'A bit like when Snape's paying you lots of attention in Potions mate. What's up?' _

_'I'm, okay. I think.' _

_Yes, you have endured much. Proved your power and loyalty every year, and what do you get? A return to the Muggles every Summer, more pressure, more hurt, more rumours. They go easily from praising you for your mother's sacrifice to slandering condemning you. They thought you were attacking students, they called you attention seeking, mad, a liar. So fickle. _

'Fame is a fickle friend, Harry.' ...

_That was all true, but it didn't matter. It didn't. Harry could handle the Dursley's, he could ignore the attention, rumours and changing minds. He always healed from his injuries. He could and would do it, because Voldemort had to be stopped from hurting and killing people. Even if Harry himself got hurt. _

_Just think about it Harry, Voldemort hissed. Think carefully about what exactly is going on, and why people are saying you must be the one to sacrifice the most, even though you are just a boy. If you do not wish to fight, simply concentrate on your studies and don't meddle in danger. If you're interested in learning more about my cause, how ever, _

_'I won't join you, Riddle. I said it before and I still mean it. I'll never join you.' _

_'Riddle? Is that, oh my god, is You-Know-Who on the fellytone? How the hell did he get your number?' _

_'What's the second reason you called?' _

_I wish to purchase some Weasley Wizarding Wheezes. _

_'Harry!' _

XXX xxx XXX

'Harry!' Ron whispered. 'Are you alright?' His hands were clamped over Harry's mouth.

'Mn?'

'Sorry.' The hands came off. 'You started screaming for a second and I didn't know if you would do it again. Did you have a nightmare?'

'A really weird one.' Harry checked to see that no one in their Divination class was listening in (only Neville looking concerned) and told Ron about his dream.

'Seriously Harry?' He sniggered. 'I can't believe it. That's funny.'

'Some of it is,' Harry admitted.

'I wonder if You-Know-Who really does like coffee? Maybe we could nick it and make him suffer. I can just see it: the Death Eaters all grumpy and too tired out, to fight. Or even better, give them sugary coffee so they have to stay up all night! That happened to Percy once, it was hilarious.' Ron grinned. 'You've got to look this up in the dream dairy Harry, or tell Trelawney about the fellytone and You-know-Who talking about Weasley Wizarding Wheezes. I'd love to see what she makes of that. Of course, Fred and George had better not sell Death Eaters any of their stuff,' he added.

'I guess,' Harry grinned as well, imagining what would happen if he told their dreamy, melodramatic teacher this. 'I'm not telling her anything else he said though. I already know what it means. It's just stuff I've been thinking about for ages.'

Both Harry and Ron stopped grinning.

'Listen Harry, I guess I don't understand exactly everything you're going through,' Ron said carefully. 'I mean, I'm not you. But, me and Hermione, we've got your back. If you need us to help you fight You-Know-Who, which we're already doing anyway, or if you just like, need us, we're here. The spotlight isn't all that great is it?'

Harry smiled. 'It's not so bad if it's just on the Quiditch pitch.'

'Well yeah.'

'And when you're having a laugh. Professor?'

XXX xxx XXX

What do you think? Updates will be random. Whenever an idea pops into my head. Actually, why don't you readers suggest some ideas? I'll give you acknowledgement for them. Next time though, I think there may be fun with a Patronus Charm... Thanks for reading!


	4. Herbiohazard

Title: Divination Dreams.

Author: AspergianStoryteller.

Genre: Humor/General.

Summary: The future isn't the only thing glimpsed in the Art of Divination. Don't own Harry Potter. Sorry, no Patronus this time. This one just demanded to be written. I hope it makes you all lmao. By the way, sexual content in this fic is very low, but the bloodiness of this chapter calls for a rise in rating. If you don't read M, skip this chapter.

Chapter 3: Herbiohazard.

_'Be sure to cut at an angle when pruning the tentacles...' Professor Sprout instructed her class. The students (except for Neville, who was nervous but excited) grumbled to themselves as they got their dragon hide gloves on in preparation for pruning venomous tentacula. _

_'Ugh, this stuff gives me the creeps,' Hermione shuddered. _

_'Reminds me of devil's snare,' Ron muttered. _

_'Just suck it up,' said Harry, looking at Neville. 'At least it doesn't strangle like devil's snare.' _

_'Sure. Instead it's got poisonous thorns.' _

_'That's what our gloves are for Ron,' Hermione pulled hers on after she'd tied back her hair and slipped goggles on. 'Now, let's get to work.' _

_The three of them tackled their tentacula using the strategy they normally reserved for tougher, wily plants like this: Ron would grab a hold of one vine, keeping it as still as possible while blocking off other vines. Harry and Hermione, using Seeker reflexes and studious precision, fended off the vines that got passed Ron and quickly pruned the one in their grasp. They were succeeding until the various tentacula in the greenhouse started working together against them. Class soon tuned into a battle against the poisonous plants; students bravely cursing and cutting, Professor Sprout protecting both kids and plants from serious damage, Neville amazing them all with his courageous efforts. _

_'Argh!' Eloise screamed as she was lifted into the air by a long tentacle. 'Help!' _

_Neville leapt forwards and slashed through it with his pruning scissors, catching Eloise as she fell. He rescued other captured students this way too, until he was swept into his own airborne battle. _

_Harry, Ron and Hermione stood back-to-back-to-back against the plant kingdom terrors. _

'Stupefy!'

'Impedimenta!'

Snip! Snip!

_'Duck!' _

_'Argh!' _

_'Harry!' _

_A wiry strong, writhing vine wrapped around Harry in several loops and lifted him into the air. Thorns cut into his skin, stinging, dripping poison into his body. _

_'Ah- let go of me- you stupid plant!' _

_It curled tighter around his body. 'Ow!' Cutting deeper, blood trickling out, getting harder to breathe... _

'E-Expelliarmus!'

Cough! _Throns viciously ripped into his throat, blood sprayed out and dribbled down Harry's chest. It slowly drenched his uniform in bright red. Through the the searing pain, he felt something slithering into his torn flesh. Something long and sharp was snaking its way down his throat. _

_'Urgk-' Harry gurgled helplessly. The thorns ripped through his innards cruelly, inside and out. He could feel it digging deeper and deeper down into him. Coiling in his stomach, creeping into the intestines... poking out of his butt? _

Rip..._ bloodied tentacles tore through Harry's pants in several places as they exited his body. They seemed to be swelling with his blood... _

_Suddenly, he felt gas building up in his lower body. _What the- who does that at a time like this?_ Harry farted, and crimson red petals cascaded down from his ripped pants. _

XXX xxx XXX

'Shit!'

'Harry?'

'Mr. Potter!'

'S-sorry,' Harry muttered. 'Merlin, what a fucked up dream.'

'Dream, Mr. Potter?' Professor Trelawney's tone switched to excited sounding. 'What did you dream about dear boy?'

'Um,' Harry did not want to tell the class about his disturbing and violent nightmare, but it was hard to make up a convincing false one right now. 'Er, it was about Herbiology. The plants were attacking the students.' There. That should satisfy her.

'Perhaps you had a premonition of future horrors.'

'I hope not.'

'Ah, Harry?'

'Yeah Ron?'

'We've got Herbiology next.'

XXX xxx XXX

Voldemort shot up in his bed with a gasp. Where the hell had _that_ come from?

XXX xxx XXX

What do you think? Yikes! I wasn't expecting this to turn out so violent. Sorry if it frightened you. Updates will be random. Whenever an idea pops into my head. Actually, why don't you readers suggest some ideas? I'll give you acknowledgement for them. Thanks for reading!


	5. Clues?

Title: Divination Dreams.

Author: AspergianStoryteller.

Genre: Humor/General.

Summary: The future isn't the only thing glimpsed in the Art of Divination. Don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter 5: Clues?

_'Ugh, what's in that incense?' _

_'Did you read the article?' _

_'Absolutely barmy. I guess everything last year just got to them.' _

_Whispers drifted though the incense ridden air of the divination tower. Whispers about yet the latest media article slandering Harry and Dumbledore for their continued insistence of Voldemort's return. It was driving Harry madder than their previous divination lesson where almost every pendulum in the room had pointed to his and Ron's table and followed them around. _

_'Why does he keep insisting it on it?' someone wondered. 'Did he get a knock in the head during the accident?' _

_'Paranoia?' _

_'Maybe he thinks he's special,' someone else muttered. 'The "Boy-Who-Lived" is some title to live up to.' _

_Harry snorted. _

_'Dumb prats,' Ron muttered. He wiped his pendulum clean of fingerprints on his sleeve. 'Don't they have anything better to do?' _

_Harry shrugged. 'Apparently not.' _

_'... Thinks he's supposed to be some kind of saviour.' _

_'He's deluded.' _

_'I don't know...' _

_'Come on children, the candle is not so hard to find,' Professor Trelawney's airy voice sounded. 'Just focus.' _

_'It's the Gryffindor hero-complex,' a boy said knowingly. 'Poor guy's got it too strong.' _

_'We only need a "saviour" to save us from Umbitch,' his friend snickered. _

_Harry couldn't help partly agreeing with that last bit. _

_Ron did too, but he still hissed 'hey knock it off guys!' _

_They went quiet. Then Neville called in soft voice, 'You should be careful Harry.' He sounded anxious. 'If people start asking you to heal leprosy, run for it!' _

_Leprosy? 'Yikes, I hope not,' Harry murmured. 'The last guy like that got...' _

_'Don't worry Mr. Potter, you'll come back too.' _

_Harry whipped his head around to face Professor Trelawney, standing in front of his table. She was eating a sandwich. _

_'Everything will be alright, even if my prediction comes true.' The professor finished her sandwich and placed a goblet full of red liquid on the table. 'This will give you a way back,' she said. _

_Trelawney then handed Harry a small, square-shaped mirror. She dipped her finger in the goblet and drew a fraction on the mirror's face. _

_7/8. _

_A familiar, tingling smell hit Harry's nose. Metallic. Bitter. Almost sweet. _

_Blood. _

_Harry looked at his teacher in shock and confusion. _

_'What-?' _

_'Shh.' She pressed her bloodstained finger to his lips. 'This is the riddle.' An object resembling a remembrall was put on the table. 'It can have more than one meaning and it doesn't have to happen.' Trelawney smiled softly. 'For the most part, your destiny is in your own hands.' _

_What was going on? Harry felt foreboding stir in his heart. _

_'And finally,' Trelawney pulled a sword out from her shawls. Harry noticed that it was the sword of Gryffindor. 'You'll need this.' _

_She reached behind Harry to give the sword into the pale, skeletal hand waiting by his shoulder. _

_Long fingers curled around the ruby-encrusted hilt, and the matching hand settled on Harry's other shoulder to turn him slowly around. _

_'Hello, Harry.' _

_What the hell was Voldemort doing in his divination class? This was the Fifth-Year class. Shouldn't he be in a different group? _Someone should go get Umbridge. Let her try and explain this away.

_'Hey.' _

_Why wasn't anyone noticing this? Voldemort was in the wrong class. He shouldn't even be in the school! _

_Voldemort's hand on Harry's shoulder slid down his arm and around onto his back. It pressed him into the man's chest. The other hand, grasping the sword, curled around the other side and Harry felt something sharp touch him. A shiver passed through him. _

*Gasp!*

_Harry tasted the blood trickling from his lips, down his chin. _

_The blade was visible past Voldemort's frame. It was long enough. The previously silver length was red, matching his eyes, and thin, bloodstained lips. _

XXX xxx XXX

Harry saw light flickering across his closed eyelids.

'Ow, Ron.'

Ron grinned and adjusted his pendulum to shift its rainbow light onto the table. Harry lifted his head.

'Have a good nap?'

'Do you even need to ask?' Harry glanced over at Professor Trelawney, remembering.

'Ha. Dream anything funny? Did someone barge into the shower again? Or was it the quiditch changing rooms this time?'

What did it mean, that dream? That feeling of foreboding. 'I'll tell you later,' Harry murmured. He deciced to turn his attention to dowsing for the candles hidden throughout the room.

'Harry, you're shaking.'

XXX xxx XXX

What do you think? Updates will be random. Whenever an idea pops into my head. Actually, why don't you readers suggest some ideas? I'll give you acknowledgement for them. Thanks for reading!


	6. Creative Kidnapping

Title: Divination Dreams.

Author: AspergianStoryteller.

Genre: Humour/Mystery.

Summary: The future isn't the only thing glimpsed in the Art of Divination. Don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter 6: Creative Kidnapping.

_Professor McGonagall had encountered a wide variety of mishaps in her time at Hogwarts, so she wasn't too ruffled when she came across two students completely wrapped up like mummies on the fifth floor corridor one weekend morning. _

_They were both boy students; one a tall, skinny young man, the other, a short, skinny young man, squirming in a hold on the other's shoulder. _

_The Transfiguration teacher raised her eyebrows at the pair. _

_'Good morning, Professor,' said the tall one sheepishly. 'We've had a little accident practising the bandage charm in our dorm, so we're on our way to the Hospital Wing now. This one,' he hefted the smaller figure on his shoulder, 'is slightly injured – and being a big baby about it,' he added, when the smaller mummy squirmed harder and yelled louder under the muffling bandages. _

_Professor McGonagall's eyebrows went down, but not completely. _

_'Yes, it was pretty silly of us,' the taller student went on. 'We told a Prefect we would be practising, but we should have been more careful, or waited for someone to supervise us.' _

_The Transfiguration teacher nodded. _

_'That would have been wise with this charm. You had better remember that next time.' _

_'Oh we will, Professor.' The boy laughed charmingly. 'We wouldn't want to have another accident. Thank you for not taking points, I'm glad we met you rather than Professor Snape.' A smile nudged the wrapping on his face slightly. His eyes, though, were just wee dark glints peeking through gaps. _

_'Mmph! Phphessr!' _

_'Uh oh,' the taller mummy murmured. 'I'd best be going just in case he isn't exaggerating as much as he usually does. Bye Professor!' He dashed off down the corridor and disappeared from sight around the corner. Professor McGonagall decided to refrain from deducting points for running in the corridors because the boy was taking his friend to the Hospital Wing, and he had been quite respectful. _

_Professor McGonagall didn't know that the polite boy had lied to her. _

_She didn't know that the squirming mummy was actually Harry Potter, being kidnapped right in front of her. Even though he was screaming for help and warning her of danger. The bandages were an efficient gag, blindfold, bondage and cover all in one. Not too mention they cut off most of his air supply. _

_Professor McGonagall was an excellent trouble detector. _

_But Voldemort was an even better liar. _

XXX xxx XXX

Ron, who normally took his time waking up from a good nap, jerked awake in his armchair suddenly. His heart pounded like it did when danger, be it from a bludger or teacher (Snape! Danger! Danger! Abort anything fun and hope he's in a lenient mood!). His body trembled and his mind shivered under a fear the way it did when nightmares visited him.

Shit. What a horrifying idea. How real and realistic. That could actually happen! He wasn't quite sure how You-know-Who got in unnoticed, though he'd done it before, but if he found Harry and got him alone for a few minutes, and a teacher came by, maybe that event could happen! That _was_ rather how McGonagall would react.

Ron carefully (Umbridge was observing their class _again_) turned his head to Harry in the armchair next to his. His short (Merlin, it was fun teasing him about that sometimes) friend was struggling not to fall asleep, scribbling his homework from History on his lap.

Harry noticed his awake state and met his eyes.

_What's up?_ his eyes and mouth asked silently.

_Dream,_ Ron replied in equal silence.

_Oh?_ Harry's eyebrow and lips quirked up.

_Later. _Ron jerked his head in Umbitch – Umbridge's direction. The pink toad effigy (well she did fancy herself pretty high up,) was currently next to Parvati and Lavender's table. The girls were scowling. In between them and their own table, Neville quaked in his seat, his gaze shooting from Umbridge to Harry. He had an odd, suspicious look on his face.

Ron and Harry noticed this with confusion, then went back to listening to Trelawney go on about dowsing while they did homework under the table.

XXX xxx XXX

Ron had just finished telling Harry and Hermione about his weird, disturbing dream when Neville approached them in the corridor, wearing worried but determined look.

'Harry,' he said. 'I need to talk to you. Er, in private.'

Harry nodded, and told Ron and Hermione he'd be back in a minute, or catch them at lunch.

Hermione turned to Ron.

'You know,' she said, 'While I don't believe that would actually happen, it is an interesting possibility.'

Ron shook his head. 'I don't know, Mione. I'm sure that's _exactly_ how McGonagall would act. I mean, she's dismissed danger before. Remember the Philosopher's Stone?'

Hermione frowned.

Neville lead Harry into an empty classroom and steeled himself.

'Harry,' he said carefully, 'I'm asking you as a concerned friend and room mate, does Umbridge do anything weird when you're in detention with her?'

'Huh?' Did Neville know about the awful bloodquill Umbridge made him use? It wasn't unlikely. Several other Gryffindors had suffered it by now.

'She just makes me write lines,' Harry answered.

'She doesn't, look at you funny or hurt you?' Neville pressed.

'No differently than normal. Smug, sickly sweet and like a toad.' Harry felt disgust and anger wash over him recalling Umbridge's satisfied, pasty face as she watched him cut his hand open to write her words in his own lifeblood.

'She hasn't, um, touched you?'

_What? _'What?' When she grasped his hand the first night to see the damage, a pain shot through both his hand and his scar. Harry shivered.

Neville saw. His face went pale.

'Has she touched you, Harry?' he asked again. 'You know, inappropriately?'

Harry's eyes went wide when he caught on.

_'What? _No! Oh God no, Neville, she hasn't. I swear. Ew.'

'You sure? She could have obliviated you.'

'I would notice if she had,' Harry said reassure himself as well as Neville. He was pretty sure he would notice the memory gaps.*

'What gave you that idea?' he asked.

'It's silly really, but,'

'Go on.'

'Well, I heard someone in the library talking about Umbridge and her cat obsession and that her patronus must be a cat. The students were guessing which cat, and one of them said something about a cougar.' Neville blushed. 'And I know from Grandma that means a woman who likes younger men. And I know you have a lot of detentions with her.'

'That's true,' Harry confirmed. 'But only because she thinks I'm a lying, mental, attention-seeking trouble maker.'

'Yeah. Anyway, you have to spend a lot of nights with her, and you come back looking dreadful.'

'They are really unpleasant,' Harry admitted. 'But she's not, you know.'

'Good.' Neville sighed in relief. 'Merlin, what kinds of lines are you doing?'

'Lots of them.' Harry tucked his hand into his pocket. 'Writing a load of bollocks for hours a night is strangely exhausting. I never thought I'd miss Snape and his filthy cauldrons and things for pickling.'

He and Neville shared grim grins. They didn't know it then, but soon, Neville would know exactly why writing lines for Umbridge was so awful and tiring.

'I don't think I'll be able to eat much,' Neville said on their way out. 'That smoke of Professor Trelawney's makes my head spin. I'm sure it made me have a really weird and horrible dream before.'

'I know the feeling,' Harry said. 'I once dreamed we were attacked by plants in Herbiology, worse than usual, and you were cutting them down with a sword.'

'Really?' Neville blushed. 'Cool. I just had this creepy dream about blood.'

XXX xxx XXX

_Yawn._ 'But I haven't got any memory gaps so I'm sure she hasn't obliviated me.' He rubbed his eyes and poked sandwich in.

'Memories can be changed instead of leaving gaps,' Ron said. 'Dad told me. It's for longer memories.'

'It wouldn't explain the scarring though,' Harry glanced at his hand. 'I _know_ it. I'm sure my detentions are exactly what I think they are.'

Hermione took a sip of juice. 'I think so too, and not that it's not totally _barbaric_ and wrong, and abusive, but if Umbridge was sexually abusing students, something would have happened by now. Someone would have noticed the signs and attacked her. And there's no way she could justify it as a reasonable punishment.'

Harry yawned again and nodded his agreement.

'You're yawning a lot today,' Ron noted. 'I'm surprised you didn't fall asleep too in Divination.'

'I've -' _yawn_ 'been up three nights in a row in detention,' Harry muttered. 'I'm turning in early tonight.'

Professor Trelawney yawned and called to Professors McGonagall and Snape as they were about to enter the Great Hall for lunch.

'I would tell the headmaster, but as he isn't here, I must impart this fearful knowledge to you instead.'

The Transfiguration and Potions teachers paused to hear her out, though they were quite used to hearing "fearful knowledge" from her.

'I'm afraid Mr Potter is in grave danger,' she announced. 'I dreamt of it.'

McGonagall shook her head. Harry Potter was _always_ in grave danger. She didn't need Trelawney's dream to tell her that. Her own dreams already knew.

Snape knew it too. Potter was always getting into trouble, and the only time Trelawney had truly known it in foresight – Well, it wasn't like she'd actually gone and _said_ it like _that._

'Poor boy,' Trelawney muttered.

'We'll keep a close watch on Mr Potter, as always,' McGonagall said. 'Have you had lunch yet, Sybil?'

XXX xxx XXX

'Oi,' Ron whispered, 'head up mate. If Snape comes back and catches you sleeping you're in deep dung.'

Harry raised his head. 'He'll be gone another ten minutes.'

'But he left Malfoy on watch.'

'Hmm.' Harry dropped his head into his arms again. 'Bloody detention and Divination,' he grumbled.

Eight minutes later, Snape came back from his meeting. Predator-like, or if one was kinder, watchful teacher-like he swept the classroom for any mishaps done in his absence and quickly spotted Harry Potter snoozing over his book.

Ron nearly squeaked and shook Harry, hoping to wake him before Snape did. Hermione nudged him under their desk, but Snape got there before they could save their friend from him.

'Mr Potter, how dare you fall asleep in my class?' The Potions teacher asked, his voice dangerous. 'Think you know it all?'

'Professor, Harry's _really_ tired,' Hermione said bravely. 'Umbridge keeps him up so late every night-'

'I didn't ask you,' he cut her off. 'Ten points from Gryffindor. Well, Potter? Wake up.' He shook Harry.

'_Wake up,_ Potter,' he said it louder.

Harry twitched and frowned, but he didn't wake up.

XXX xxx XXX

Since he's turned up a lot, should I add Voldemort as a main Character in the Categories, or is it not necessary? And should this be Humour/Mystery or Suspense? Just one or two chapters to go, I think, unless someone has an idea they'd like me to use. Then we'll see.

*Set after Christmas so Ginny's already told Harry about memory gaps.

Tomorrow I'm starting a short cooking and life-skills course for young people with autism. Along with computing/business admin and creative writing, I've got a lot to do! :)


	7. Sleep Like The Dead

Title: Divination Dreams.

Author: AspergianStoryteller.

Genre: Humour/Mystery.

Summary: The future isn't the only thing glimpsed in the Art of Divination. Mysteries of the subconscious, foreboding signs and random what-the-heck visions too. Don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter 7: Sleep Like The Dead.

Ron pulled back the covers of Harry's four-poster bed and looked expectantly at Hermione. She lowered Harry down onto the mattress and ended the levitation spell. Then she looked at Ron expectantly.

'What?' he said.

'Undress him for bed.'

_'What?' _

'You don't sleep in clothes, Ron.'

He waved his hand her.

'Why don't you undress him then?'

'I'm a girl, he's a boy,' she explained, as though this was new information.

'Why does that matter? It's not like you're gonna do anything to him.'

'Would you change clothes in front of a girl? Besides Ginny.'

'... Oh all right. Pull his shoes off and turn around.'

Hermione untied her short (she couldn't help it! It was just so cute when some of the fourth-year girls were next to him for comparison!) friend's boots and tugged them off and placed them in his trunk. Underneath the shoes were a sock covered with snitches and another with exploding cauldrons.

'Leave his socks on, Mione,' Ron told her. 'We all keep them on over winter.'

When Hermione was turned around safely and putting Harry's books away, Ron pulled off his cloak, robe, tie and left the rest under a Weasley sweater. They didn't know the spell for changing clothes yet. It wasn't taught until sixth year partly for the complications, partly for student immaturity. Not that that stopped Gred and Forge.

'Done.'

'You've forgotten his glasses,' Hermione pointed out.

'Oh.' Ron plucked the round glasses off Harry's face and placed them on the bedside table. He frowned.

'His skin's a bit cold.'

Hermione laid her hand on Harry's forehead.

'You're right. Let's give him an extra blanket and leave the curtains shut. I'll put a warming charm on him too.' He looked pale, too, she realised. And tired. Poor Harry.

XXX xxx XXX

_'Wake up, mate.' _

_'Hm?' Harry raised his head. _

_'Class got cancelled,' Ron said happily. The other kids in the dungeon were packing away their text books and notes. _

_'Seriously? When has Snape ever cancelled Potions? Professor Sprout usually takes over if he's sick.' The only Potions classes Neville ever succeed in. _

_'I dunno, but let's enjoy it while it lasts, ay? Let's go flying. Mione, wanna fly?' _

_Hermione shook her head. _

_'I'll read in the stands.' _

_Soon they were up in the air, racing each other from goal hoop to goal hoop, red-faced from the cold wind made colder by their speed. Harry's nose and hands and ears felt like blocks of ice despite his gloves and scarf. The metal frames of his glasses burned where they touched his skin. _

_'Lets see who can go the highest!' Ron called. He shot up, passed the top of the stands. Harry flew after him and caught up. They rose higher and higher into the grey sky expanse, grinning at each other like loonies. Ron speed up; so did Harry, and over took him. Soon He could see the whole castle, the grounds, the lake and the mountains. _

_'Brr!' A cold wind swept over him, stealing the heat he'd built up. He should get back now. It was time to retreat to the Common Room for hot chocolate. _

_Harry descended, tucking loose clothing back. When he touched down on the snowy quidditch field he was alone. _

_'Ron? Hermione?' Where did they go? _

XXX xxx XXX

'What are you looking for, Minerva?' Podmona asked. Beside her, the Gryffindor Head of House was scanning her table carefully. 'Is it the twins again?'

'Potter is not at dinner,' Minerva said.

'Potter fell asleep in my class this afternoon,' Serverus, on her right informed her. 'The nerve of that brat.'

'He fell asleep?' she repeated. 'He has looked tired of late.' She picked at her soup.

'Potter isn't the only one who's been tired,' Severus muttered, irritably. 'It's not an excuse to nod off in my classroom.'

'Potter is only fifteen. I know it's been difficult for him.'

Severus sighed.

'If you're so concerned about the brat, ask his friends. Or try to get it through his thick skull _not_ to argue with Delores. He's had more detentions than half the students put together.'

Then Delores joined the conversation and they guarded their tongues.

'I noticed Mr Potter isn't present at dinner tonight,' she simpered. 'How rude.'

'Potter is overtired today,' Minerva said, carefully. 'I'm certain he will be present tomorrow.'

'Hm. If he isn't playing hooky.' The excessively pink woman narrowed shifty eyes over her goblet and squirmed comfortably in the head's chair.

When desert's leftovers had vanished from the tables Minerva, followed to her dismay by Delores, approached Weasley and Granger.

'Mr Weasley, Miss Granger! A word.'

'Yes, Professor?' The two teenagers glanced nervously at the headmistress beside her.

'Where is Mr Potter this evening?' Minerva asked. 'He isn't in any trouble,' she assured them when they looked panicked. 'I would like to know why he was not at dinner tonight. Professor Snape told me he fell asleep in class earlier.'

'He must still be asleep,' Granger said. 'Unless he just woke up not hungry. We put him to bed. He's been very tired lately.'

'If Mr Potter would just behave and manage his time better he wouldn't be tired,' Delores explained sweetly. Granger and Weasley struggled to not glare at her.

'In that case, bring Mr Potter this then leave him to sleep.' Minerva summoned a plate of warm ham sandwiches and a goblet of juice.

'I don't think Mr Potter is going to learn his lesson if he is allowed to eat after missing meals,' Delores suggested sweetly. The sweetness was going to make them sick soon. Everyone was sick of it already. Had been for months.

'Students are not punished by withholding meals,' Minerva said, coldly. 'Mr Potter is not getting desert tonight.' Granger took the tray, said thank you and walked away quickly, before it could be taken away.

XXX xxx XXX

'Yikes,' Ron said. 'I thought she was gonna do something.' He held open the Fat Lady's portrait for Hermione to climb through with the tray.

'Considering withholding food,' she muttered, horrified. 'I suppose we shouldn't be surprised, with what she's already doing. Did you see her smug face? She _knows_ her detentions are taking a lot out of Harry and she acts like he's to blame! That bitch.'

Ron's eyebrows went up.

They went up the stairs and into the dorms. Hermione set the tray down and Ron opened Harry's bed curtains.

'A nap's supposed to make you feel better. How come he looks worse?' Ron wondered. Harry was paler than before. His skin and hair contrasted each other like black and white chess pieces. He hadn't changed position; his bedding was unrumpled.

'I wonder if he's sick?' Hermione touched his face again and her hand jerked back in shock. 'His skin is icy. How could that be? I put a good warming charm him.'

'Oi, Harry,' Ron called him. 'Wake up. We brought you food.'

...

'Harry. Wake up.' He shook his shoulder under thick blankets.

Hermione revived him with an **'Enervate' **and a general wake up spell. Neither worked. She splashed water on his face. He didn't stir.

'I think we should get Professor McGonagall,' she said, frowning.

XXX xxx XXX

_'Ron? Hermione?' Harry walked across the field to stands, looking for his friends, but they had disappeared. He went back indoors, calling for them. Where had they gone? Actually, where had everyone gone? He was walking through an empty castle. _

_'Hello?' Even the ghosts had vanished. He spent a lot of time walking around, looking for someone. The portraits were still and silent. _

_'There you are,' said a voice behind him. _

_'What-' _

_'Come on, you're going to be late.' Voldemort marched up to him and grabbed his wrist. _

_'What are you dong here?' Harry asked, trying to keep with him. 'Don't you have Divination now?' _

_'No. You've got detention.' _

_'Again? Bugger.' _

_Voldemort escorted him up stairs and along a corridor and pushed him into a classroom. Pink assaulted Harry from all sides. He sat down at his usual desk and picked up the dreadful bloodquill. Then he opened a black covered journal and began to write. _

XXX xxx XXX

'He does look unwell. Alright, Granger, Weasley, you may follow me to the hospital wing.' Minerva conjured a stretcher and levitated Potter onto it.

'Um, Professor,' Weasley spoke up. 'Is there another way we can go? Harry wouldn't want people staring at him.'

True. And the less attention they got, the better.

'Put his cloak over him,' she said, quietly because other boys might come in. They left Gryffindor Tower with little attention. Once Potter was bedded in the hospital Minerva told the students to stay put and went to fetch the other House Heads, without alerting Delores hopefully.

'I'm not picking anything recognisable up,' Filius announced after casting diagnostic spells. Poppy, Podmona and Minerva had the same results.

'It's as though he's extremely fatigued, unusually so.'

Serverus got an odd look on his face and quietly murmured another spell. His eyes widened. An eerie black light suddenly floated around Potter. The other teachers went still and quiet.

'What does that mean?' Weasley asked nervously.

'Oh my goodness,' Filius murmured. Severus cast another spell. A crimson light replaced the black. Again. Green.

'What's he doing? Weasley asked again. 'Those colours- what do they mean?'

'Dark magic,' Podmona whispered.

_'What?' _

Severus kept casting spells, his expression shifting with each colour.

'Weasley,' he snapped. 'Go fetch your sister.'

'Why?'

'Just do it. I need to ask her something.'

'Ron!' Granger stopped the boy. 'Take the cloak. Don't let Umbridge catch you.' He nooded, and vanished from sight under the invisibility cloak.

XXX xxx XXX

_Harry rubbed his eyes. He was exhausted. He'd been writing in blood for pages and pages and now he was really wiped out. _

I must not tell lies. I must not tell lies. They think I'm a liar and crazy. Sometimes _I_ think I'm going crazy. I must not tell lies. I'm tired and angry and confused. And I'm scared. I must not tell lies. He's out there, getting stronger and the Ministry are doing nothing! I must not tell lies. Dumbledore ignored me. Then when he didn't, I attacked him. Because I'm connected to Voldemort. I must not tell lies. How did I get into this mess in the first place? Why me? How am I connected to him? Trelawney showed me that mirror and the blood, the marble and the sword. ? I must not tell lies. I must not tell lies.

_'Ow...' His head and hand hurt. How long had he been writing for? Surely it was time to go now? 'Oh stuff it.' Harry threw down the quill and stood up. And swayed. He put a hand on the desk to steady himself. _

_'Uhh, how long was I there for?' How much blood did he lose? It seeped out from under his clothes and onto the journal, where the red disappeared rather than stain the pages. _

_Umbridge was nowhere to be seen, so Harry left her office. The next room was another familiar one: the Potions public storeroom. He'd had detention there so often he could draw a map of it. The walls were lined with shelves of boxes and jars. Bellow them; cauldrons ranging from fist-sized to Harry-sized. He knew that because a couple of years ago, an altercation in Potions turned into a great big mess and several students were given detention. _

To avoid further fights from breaking out, the Slytherins were writing lines at one table and the Gryffindors were sorting gross Potions ingredients at another. A few older students from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw were keeping them separated.

Snape was in a foul mood that night. Harry supposed he couldn't blame him; the argument, well he wasn't sure what started it, but it grew quickly, and three cauldrons had blown up. Five students wound up in the hospital wing, two staying overnight.

The fact that this happened just a week after the mud incident at Hogsmead was the cherry on top. Snape was _furious_. Whenever he came out of his office to check on them the man glared, black eyes full of fire and he stalked around like a bat hunting for prey. Neville trembled so violently Harry worried he would have a seizure.

'Longbottom!'

'Eeek!' Neville squeaked in alarm and dropped the toad kidneys he was handling.

'Ugh, you clumsy fool. Can you be any more of a hazard?' Snape swooped down on them. 'Gryffindors are generally useless at Potions, but a _muggle_ could do better than you. How on earth did you get Sorted into Gryffindor?'

Severing rat tails and placing them in jars next to him, Harry saw that Neville's eyes were tearing up.

'Stop picking on him!' he snapped, standing. 'Neville truly belongs in Gryffindor and you shouldn't bully him 'cause of an accident!'

'Sit down and shut your mouth, Potter, or I'll seal it shut!'

Harry glared up (more than a foot) at Snape, fists on his hips. An odd expression – a shadow across his eyes, tightened lips – flashed over the man's face in a second. Then it was gone, and Snape was telling Harry and Neville to get into the huge, filthy cauldron in between the tables.

'What?'

'Get in there and clean it.' Oh man, he was serious.

Harry took off his outer robe (one Ron had grown too tall for), and didn't bother rolling up his sleeves; it was freezing and he was going to get dirty no matter what. He held back a groan. The cauldron was so big he and Neville, and at least two other third years would easily fit in there, and it was covered in bubbly red muck. Smelt like pepper-up.

'Hup!' Harry hefted himself up and slid in. 'Coming Nev?' He clung to the rim and grinned down. Neville's mouth hung open slightly. 'It's really nice in here. Toss me the scrubbing stuff.'

Neville picked up the rags and toothbrushes they were using and threw them into the cauldron. Then he too, shed his robe, and his shoes.

'Don't bother too much with clothes, Nev,' Harry advised him. 'They can be cleaned later. It's too cold.'

'Okay. Um, how do I get in?'

Harry stuck his arm out.

'Stand on a stool and I'll pull you in.' The whole class was staring at them now. Snape shook his head and levitated Neville in, not warning him.

'Merlin,' Neville murmured. 'This thing is enormous.'

Suddenly, water started pouring in.

'Oh Merlin!' he shrieked. 'He's going to cook us!' He grabbed the rim and tried to sling over it.

'Calm down and stop screaming,' Snape's calm voice drifted in over the echoey water splashing. 'The water is for scrubbing.'

The flow stopped when the boys were waist deep in it. It was _so bloody cold_.

'Um, sir,' an older student spoke up, nervously. 'Aren't they likely to catch cold in there?'

Snape muttered something about a little chill being too much for them, to the amusement of his students, but warmed the water. Neville whimpered. It really felt like they were going to be cooked in a potion.

Two hours later, they trooped back to Gryffindor Tower grubby but dry; Snape had dried them off because if McGonagall found out he was responsible for her students getting sick it would be trouble for him.

_Two years later, Harry climbed up and peered into the big cauldron he and Neville spent 2 hours cleaning out, not for the last time. Remembering what had lead to the punishment still made Harry angry. Snape was such a bully. _

_Hey, there was a potion in it! It was red like pepper-up, but not bubbly. And it smelt bitter. _

_'Whoa!' Something pushed him! _

Splash!

XXX xxx XXX

'I thought you were just getting Ginny,' Hermione said as Ron, Ginny and Trelawney came out from under the cloak and Ron stuffed it into his robe pocket.

'Well,' he began, 'me and Gin were on our way here when we bumped into her on the stairs she insisted on coming with us 'cause she foresaw Harry being in peril. Then we met _him_,'

'_Him?_'

'Miss Weasley, a word.' Ginny glanced anxiously at Harry on her way to Snape. The teachers started a discussion around Harry's bed.

'I sensed an evil force at work,' Firenze entered the hospital wing, his hooves tapping on the stone floor. He had on a feather cape.

'Yeah, that's what he said,' Ron continued. 'So he tagged along. He doesn't fit under the cloak, but I don't think any one saw him, except for-'

'Hey everybody.'

'_Them?_'

'Hi guys,' Neville offered. 'Sorry about intruding. We were worried.'

'This is some gathering, huh? How's Harry?' Dean asked.

'It's suspicious,' Seamus muttered. 'But yeah, what's going on?'

Luna popped out from behind the boys.

'Oh dear,' she murmured. 'Harry's head is quite full of wrackspurts. It must be very uncomfortable.'

'And when did _she_ turn up?' Hermione's voice was beginning to sound shrill.

'We found her sleepwalking.'

'Is there anyone else?'

Ron walked over to the door and looked outside. Mrs Norris padded in and disappeared under a bed.

'I think that's it, unless Filch follows her. I should barricade the door.'

'What are they talking about?' Dean wondered. 'It sounds serious.'

'Ah, look guys, um,' Ron searched his head for words. 'We're not sure what's wrong with Harry. He fell asleep earlier and won't wake up.'

'Have you tried a spell?'

'It was one of the first things we did,' Hermione said. 'The teachers tried too.'

'Children!' the teachers' huddle noticed the extra people.

'What are you all doing here?' McGonagall asked.

'It's not curfew yet, Professor,' Dean pointed out.

'We're worried about Harry,' Neville told her.

'Have you figured out what's wrong?' Ron asked.

Ginny suddenly gasped.

'Ginny? What is it?' Ron and Hermione hurried over to her. The teachers talked amongst themselves again.

'Remember what happened to me in my first year here?' Ginny said. Her face had gone pale.

So did Ron and Hermione's.

'You don't mean... Harry's being possessed or something?'

'It's like when Tom took me into the Chamber of Secrets and was stealing my life,' Ginny wrapped her arms around herself. 'Except, Harry hasn't been writing in a diary like I was. I reckon it's his scar. He looks just like I did when I was fading.' Hermione pulled Ginny into a hug.

'How do we make it stop?' Ron said. 'Three years ago the diary was there and Harry stabbed it with a basilisk fang.'

'We can't use it on Harry,' Hermione said. 'We don't know if it would have the same effect, and Fawkes isn't here to heal him.'

Neville tapped Ron on the shoulder.

'Do you know something?'

'... It's not good. But we're not giving up. The teachers will think of something.'

XXX xxx XXX

_Harry dreamed of a cold, bony embrace stealing his life away. _

_'Hullo, Harry,' Lord Voldemort whispered in his ear. 'Are you having a nice night? A nice dream?' _

XXX xxx XXX

Are you all excited about the last HP movie? I can't wait! But it's going to be weird and sad that it's over. My brother is paying for my ticket as my birthday present. The movies often come out close to my birthday or Christmas, so it's convenient for us. :) ... You know, some reviews would also make a nice present. ;)


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